Both environmental and economical considerations dictate that product packaging be optimized whenever possible. This fact is quite evident in the field of plastic packaging wherein the amount of material utilized for plastic bottles and other hollow containers is generally minimized wherever possible. The optimization of these plastic containers has often manifested itself in thinner, more flexible walls. New molding technologies and material innovation has enabled the evolution of plastic bottles and the like to the point where container walls are often quite flexible and conformant to external pressure. While such characteristics are often desirable for product dispensing, packaging costs and other operational characteristics, they present problems for labeling and other decorating procedures.
Moreover, while product containers are often relatively rigid and stable when fully loaded with product, labeling and other decorating procedures are generally and preferably undertaken prior to product packaging and/or filling operations. In this regard, the unfilled containers generally feature their maximum flexibility and conformance during the labeling operations. Because many labeling operations (e.g., pressure sensitive labeling, heat and pressure labeling, and the like) require external pressure, the flexibility of the thin walls of such containers presents a real problem. In this regard, it has been found that pressurizing a flexible container from within during labeling operations can effectively rigidity the container and prevent its flexing during decorating procedures.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,904 and 4,315,795 (which issued to Jowdrey et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,197 (which issued to Harvey); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,937 (which issued to Geurtsen et al.) describe various decorating and labeling machines which utilize internal pressure applied to flexible bottles for rigidity during labeling and the like. As decoration of bottles and similar articles is generally desired to be accomplished at relatively high speeds, these devices all contemplate movement or rotation of the structure upon which the bottle is supported, at least before and after decorating procedures. As a result, relatively complex and/or cumbersome arrangements of air lines, ducts, rotating joints, and channels have been required to accommodate air inflation of moving bottles. In addition to the added capital expenditures required for this complex arrangement of structures, assembly, adjustment, and maintenance procedures, and inconvenience are also correspondingly increased.
An in-line system including air pressure support of relatively flexible bottles is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,105; 4,239 569; and 4,290,519 (which issued to A. Harvey) wherein plastic bottles and the like are stabilized on a conveyor system by application of vacuum to their lower portions, and successive supported bottles are inflated via an elongated opening in a manifold groove during the period in which each is engaged by heat transfer labeling rollers. The Harvey labeling system, however, requires a relatively complex arrangement of vacuum lines, and seals for supporting the articles along the line, as well as a relatively inefficient system of grooves, manifold structure, and sealing arrangements for delivery of air pressure adjacent a labeling station. Moreover, the Harvey set-up is not easily adaptable to a variety of different container shapes and sizes, as it requires relatively specific support receptacles and belting arrangements for its cup-shaped inflating nozzles.
Similarly, other bottling labeling machines, such as shown and described in Canadian patent 667,473 (which issued to C. Flood) includes a conveyor for moving flexible bottles past a label applying station, and spaced conveyor holders which telescope onto the mouth of the bottle so that the bottle may be rotated about its axis for labeling. The device further includes a plurality of hollow conveyor projecting pins which fit into the bottle mouths and allow the bottles to be inflated while being labeled. Resilient bottles may be inflated as they pass the label apply station. As mentioned above with regard to other prior devices, the hollow pins of the Flood device are required to move with the bottles as they travel along the labeling machine, requiring additional dynamic seals and limiting the space available for labeling or otherwise decorating the container.
Consequently, while there have been numerous attempts to provide automatic labeling machinery to accommodate high-speed decoration of containers having flexible sidewalls, heretofore there has not been available a machine of relatively simple design which can be easily adjusted and adapted to accommodate a wide variety of sizes, shapes and flexibility of containers and bottles. Additionally, devices incorporating air inflation features for effectively rigiditying flexible containers for labeling procedures have often required relatively complex combinations of moving structures and seals providing less than optimum versatility, reliability, and convenience.